I’ve always thought of myself as a modest person, almost to the point of denial. It would come as a huge surprise to many of my friends and acquaintances that for a week during my senior year of college I worked as a nude model. It took a lot of convincing from my roommate, who had earned some extra money over the years by posing for studio art classes. I was in such dire financial straits at the time that I finally agreed to do it.

Much to my surprise, the teacher and her students made the experience as comfortable and laid-back as possible. I was exceedingly nervous for the first few minutes, but everyone in the room was used to sketching nude models. By the end of the class I had almost forgotten about my initial discomfort entirely. Then I heard the squeak of an adjustable easel and it brought me back to reality. It’s not an experience I would ever try again, but it was a liberating one nonetheless.